The High Line, Section 2

Section 2 of the High Line opened with much fanfare about a month ago. It adds 10 blocks of new green space to the tracks, stretching from 20th to 30th St. Here are some of the views headed north.

These wooden steps were featured in a great musical ad campaign for the new section before it opened. It got me pretty psyched, actually. Here is the video.

This is the much-touted picnic lawn that is unique to Section 2. Wedged between buildings on either side, it doesn’t offer much in the way of views. I wouldn’t call it a destination picnic spot, but if you happen to be in the area, it is a comfy resting place for people-watching. The only reason why it is empty is because it is off-limits for now.

Overall, the walkways mimicked the old section. Take a careful look at the plants along the way – some of them are quite striking. It’s odd to know that many were native to the city before any of us were born. There are some that I have never seen before.

The elevated walkover in the middle of this new section is another unique feature to this section. This is not the best depiction of it, but you can see that there are plants growing below you. Eventually, some of them will provide shade.

There is a viewing station of the cross-town traffic at 26th St. If I had to choose between this station and the one in Section 1, I would park myself in the other one. This one feels more cramped.

If you are thirsty from all that walking, fear not. The new beer garden at the end of the line, aptly named The Lot, will probably satisfy everyone. Just be warned that the line to get in can be long. I opted instead to check out a nearby attraction called Rainbow City. The eye-popping wonder of a park is here temporarily to celebrate the opening of the new section. It is closing this weekend, so if you would like to watch adults and kids grapple with massive balloons and have a go at it yourself, check it out before it closes on July 5th!

Section 2 starts at 20th St and 10th Ave and ends at 30th St. There are also access points at 23rd, 26th, and 28th St. The entire park is open from 7am to 11pm. No dogs or bikes are allowed.